California hiker’s body found by independent diver after five-day search

(FOX40.COM) — The body of a hiker who went missing after falling over a waterfall on Sunday in Tuolumne County was located by an independent diver on Thursday, according to the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office.

At 2:30 p.m., the sheriff’s office received reports of the diver having located Gabriel Castaneda, 38, in a pool downriver of the waterfall at Cleo’s Bath.

Search and rescue personnel from the sheriff’s office responded and found that Castaneda’s body was along a steep gorge near the fast-moving water.

The challenging terrain required the assistance of the California Highway Patrol’s helicopter H20 to assist in hoisting Castaneda out of the area.

By 8 p.m., Castaneda’s body was hoisted to a place where sheriff’s office coroners could take over the investigation.